1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to firearms in general, and in particular, to embodiments of a quick draw holster for a handgun that enables the gun to be carried securely on the person of a user during strenuous physical activities, yet which enables the gun to be drawn for use quickly, safely, and reliably.
2. Related Art
Holsters for carrying a handgun on the person of a wearer are widely known in the field of firearms and have been in use for many years. Some holsters rely on friction to secure the handgun in the holster, but this arrangement might not be suitable during certain movements of the wearer that could cause the frictional grip of the holster on the gun to be broken.
Other holsters rely on an “over-center” design that incorporates one or more springs to secure the gun. This type of holster has the drawback that certain accelerations applied to the holster can act to compress the spring(s) and cause an unexpected release of the gun from the holster at a critical moment.
Additional holster designs have incorporated straps, flaps, hood enclosures, and the like, to secure the gun therein. However, unfastening these enclosures before drawing the gun can take an unacceptable amount of time in exigent circumstances, e.g., combat.
Also, in some instances, the handgun can be equipped with an accessory, such as a silencer, a light and/or a laser sighting device, in which case, the holster must be capable of accommodating such accessories, yet still enable the gun to be removed from the holster with a quick and short draw, preferably with a length that is shorter than the overall length of the gun and accessory combination.
A need therefore exists for handgun holsters that can accommodate a gun with or without accessories mounted thereon and enable it to be carried securely on the person of a wearer, yet which also enable the gun to be drawn from the holster for use in a quick, safe, and reliable manner